Quebec Court Denies Concordia University’s Request to Halt Tuition Increase
A request from Concordia University to delay a controversial tuition hike for out-of-province and international students has been denied by a Quebec Superior Court judge.
Justice Éric Dufour ruled on July 12 that the public interest in not delaying the tuition increase outweighed any harm to the Montreal university.
Starting this fall, out-of-province students at Quebec universities will face a 30 percent tuition hike, bringing their annual fees to around $12,000.
Concordia has projected that this change will result in a 12 percent decrease in registrations and a loss of $21 million in funding.
While Concordia and McGill University argue that the tuition hikes are discriminatory, the Quebec government asserts that Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not protect individuals from discrimination based on language.
Both universities will present their case against the tuition increase in court later this year.